Case Number 18175: Small Claims Court

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (2005) (BLU-RAY)

The Charge

Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley): The first moment I met you, your
arrogance and conceit, your selfish disdain for the feelings of others made me
realize that you were the last man in the world I could ever be prevailed upon
to marry. [They look at each other for a long time as though about to
kiss] Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen): Forgive me, madam, for taking up so
much of your time.

The Case

My earliest experience with Jane Austen and her novels dates back to high
school English class where not only did I have no idea what the women was
talking about, but I also found her writing dreadfully stuffy and boring. Ironic
then that during the same period, I developed a deep love and appreciation for
the works of William Shakespeare, who many would argue is far more difficult to
understand and no less boring. My love for Shakespeare and consternation for
Austen continued in my undergraduate degree and I debated the merits of The Bard
and the incessant droning of Austen with one of my classmates. It's worth noting
that she hated Shakespeare and felt Austen represented the pinnacle of literary
skill and insight. Bah humbug!

First published in 1813 as her second novel following Sense and
Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice tells the story of the Bennet family
and the social circles in which they travel. Although apparent in the novel, it
really takes a film or TV presentation of this story to convey just how
different the time was and how much upper middle class English society at the
time was focused on courtly manners, appearances and other frippery. For me at
least, the most tragic thing we've lost in modern society is the manners and
respect for others that were so much a part of life at that time. But I digress.
For a more in-depth analysis of the key plot points of Austen's original story,
visit the other Pride and Prejudice reviews that are currently hosted on
our site.

Austen's novel has been brought to both the large and small screen in
numerous film and TV adaptations, most notably the 1995 BBC production that
starred Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. So did we actually need yet another
adaptation of this oft-told tale? Just as creative force Kenneth Branagh has
invigorated and reintroduced the works of Shakespeare to modern movie audiences,
this 2005 version, adapted by Deborah Moggach and directed by Joe Wright, has
arguably done the same for Austen and her Bennets. While the essence of the text
and all the key events remain the same, just as it has been with Branagh's
adaptations of Shakespeare, the editing, shooting style and cast breathe new
life into this version, making it even more accessible for today's often fickle
moviegoers.

With a strong adaptation to work from, a skilled cast is the next key
element in bringing this new take to life. With actors like Keira Knightley,
Donald Sutherland, Judi Dench, and a whole host of others guiding the ship,
there's little wonder why this incarnation has taken its rightful place as one
of the more memorable adaptations. When the film was released theatrically, it
met with almost universal acclaim and most critics now regard this version as
one of the best and most faithful to date.

The standard DVD edition of the film, released in 2006, set the bar very
high on the audio, video and supplementary fronts, begging the question of
whether or not this new BD release warrants an upgrade or presents a strong case
for a first-time purchase. As highly rated as the audio and video presentation
were on the SD release, the hi-def version is most certainly stronger. The
visual presentation is rich and sumptuous with beautiful color and impressive
fine detail. From dialogue and atmospheric sound and effects to Dario
Marianelli's beautiful score and Jean-Yves Thibaudet's piano melodies, the audio
mix is both immersive and beautiful. The featurettes and director commentary
that were included with the SD release have been included again here and the
following new features have been added: "The Politics of 18th Century
Dating" shares some of the etiquette behind courtship in the time of
Pride and Prejudice and "The Stately Homes of Pride and
Prejudice" provides the history behind the five historical mansions that
were featured in the film.

The Verdict

It does my heart good to convey that this title has committed no offence of
even the smallest degree. Now, on with the dancing!